Christ reproveth the pharisees for finding fault with the disciples.

I Then came together unto is far from me. him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem

2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart

7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

LECTURE 135.

That we must beware of sin without condemning the sinner. The Pharisees and scribes were displeased with the disciples for eating with unwashen hands. For they, it appears, had a tradition, that is, a rule or custom, handed down from father to son, of washing often, when they ate their meals. This practice they did not so much as pretend to derive from the law of Moses; but they set up, in these matters, the tradition of man, as of equal authority with the revelation of God. Accordingly they "found fault," asking our Saviour: "Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?" He applied to them, in answer, a prophecy of Isaiah: "howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." And next He proved the truth of this application, by an instance where the word of God, and the tradi tion of the Jews, were at variance. For the law commanded all to

honour and succour their parents. But the Jews had a tradition which allowed them to evade this duty by dedicating their substance to God.

And this is the common course, when men take upon them to add any thing as of equal authority with God's commands. They come at last to enjoin what is directly the reverse. First, they give to their own devices an undue importance. Next, they lay aside the commandment of God. Then they contradict and overturn it. This was the course of the Jews in their traditions. Adding these to the Law, they soon set them above, and also against, the Law. This has been the course of that corrupt church, of which Rome is the head. Adding to the Scriptures her own authority, as of equal weight, her rulers keep out of sight God's word, and teach also things exactly the reverse. This too is the course of those extravagant teachers, who, whether in any church, or in none, preach under the notion that they are themselves inspired. Their own fancies, the doctrines and duties of man's invention, they add to the Gospel of Christ, and in the end make to supersede it.

Let us beware of these fatal errors, which make of none effect the word of God, obscure that sun which should give light unto the soul, and blunt that two-edged sword, which alone can pierce our hardened hearts. See Heb. 4. 12. But whilst we note what is wrong in order to avoid it, let us at the same time avoid judging, or censuring, or condemning, those who avoid it not. Whilst we flee from evil ourselves, we must endeavour to think no evil of others; to make for them, that is, all charitable allowances, to entertain for them all charitable hope. For in the instance of these scribes and Pharisees, we may see how hateful a thing it is, to be looking out for sins in others, whilst we are blind all the while to our own. Their censure is turned by our Lord against themselves. They set up for judges, and are pronounced to be hypocrites. The disciples might have violated the tradition of the elders. But the scribes and Pharisees had transgressed God's law. Nothing so much helps us to overlook our own deficiency, as this prying into the faults of our neighbours. Whilst we would pull out a mote from our brother's eye, we cannot so much as see the beam that is in our own. When we shall have become faultless ourselves, when we in all things honour our parents, and obey in all things those who are in authority over us, when we believe in Christ entirely, repent thoroughly, and obey perfectly; then will be time, but it is a time that will never come, then will be time, but we shall then have no longer any taste, for finding fault. Meantime let us search into and reform our own lives. Meantime let us pray for our neighbours, both that they may be none less good than ourselves, and that we may esteem them better. See Phil. 2. 3.

Christ teacheth what things defile the man.

14 And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from with

out entereth into the man, it cannot defile him ;

19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

LECTURE 136.

That out of the heart are the issues of life.

The doctrine here laid down is to be considered as most important to all of us; for our Lord, before He declared it, "called all the people unto him," and " said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand." It is not enough for us to hear. It is not enough even to hearken, or hear with attention. It is not enough day by day to listen to God's word here read, or week by week to wait upon the preaching of his word in the church. We must also understand. And for this end we must take very earnest pains. We must prepare ourselves for hearing, with some such thoughts as these: I am about to hear the words of life and death, doctrines which, according as I believe in them or not, will minister to the saving, or condemnation of my soul. I have no business on earth to be compared for importance with this. I have no prospect of advantage so great, as what I may in this book hear of. I have no peril so awful, as that against which I may here be warned. If my thoughts would wander to any projected employment of the coming hours, to any expected pleasure, or apprehended pain; let me consider, that here I may be told of employment far more deeply concerning me; of pain far more grievous, and how to avoid it; of far more

exalted pleasure, and how to enjoy it for ever.

Thus then, "if

any man have ears to hear," thus "let him hear." Thus let us hearken to the doctrine which our Lord has here laid down.

It is not the food we eat, the drink we partake of, but the intemperate desire, or the sensual indulgence, with which we crave or receive these things, this it is that renders us in God's sight unclean. It is not whether our hands are washen or unwashen, but whether they have taken or not taken that which is not ours, that which is not needful for our healthful support, whether they are actuated by a selfish or by a charitable spirit, whether they are lifted up for violence, or stretched out in works of mercy; on these things we here learn it mainly depends, whether we be defiled or pure, in the estimation of our heavenly Judge. Try to understand this thoroughly, and to apply it to your practice continually. And whilst yet you understand not, so as to act accordingly, apply like the disciples, with prayer to Christ; ask Him concerning the parable, beseech Him to enlighten your thoughts, and to incline also your hearts to obey.

It is the heart, as He here teaches you, that God looks to, the faith which is there cherished, the works of faith which thence come forth. If in it are entertained, or out of it proceed, "evil thoughts," that is, so much as wicked wishes, these "defile the man." If in the heart there be "adulteries, fornications," or any kind of uncleanness, "murders," or even hatred of a brother, "thefts," or any dishonesty, "covetousness," or the love of the world," an evil eye," or a disposition to find fault; if in the heart there be "blasphemy," whether by swearing, cursing, or lying, "pride," whether in spiritual or in worldly advantages, or "foolishness," and especially that wisdom of this world which is "foolishness with God," 1 Cor. 3. 19; if out of the heart these proceed, or are in it, however secretly, entertained, they do "defile the man," they make him to be vile, foul, and hateful, as he is seen by Almighty God.

From these, then, wash yourselves; from these pray God that you may be washed clean in the fountain of his mercy through Christ. From these defilements pray that his grace may preserve you spotless. From these keep "with all diligence" each his own heart; for "out of it," as saith Solomon, Prov. 4. 3, "are the issues of life." Within are the defilements, within must be the cleansing also. There, where conscience speaketh. There, where the Holy Spirit moveth. There, where Christ, if He dwell at all with you, dwelleth. There you must first be holy, there clean, there pure; and then, behold, all things are pure unto See Tit. 1. 15.

you.

T

Christ complieth with the prayer of a Syrophonician woman.

24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.

25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:

26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

Let the children first be filled : for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.

29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid

27 But Jesus said unto her, upon the bed.

LECTURE 137.

How we should love, and how pray for each other.

Our Lord visiting for some good end these strangers of Tyre and Sidon, "entered into an house, and would have no man know it but he could not be hid." This should be our aim in what little good we are enabled to do for each other. We should enter as by stealth into the abode of poverty, making no parade of our alms, or of our prayers; of our zeal for God's honour, or for the good of man. And in cases where it is our duty to make our light shine before men, we should take care that we do so, with no desire that they may more highly esteem ourselves, but with the sole intent that they may more greatly glorify our Father which is in heaven. Then only are we safe in being made manifest, when, like our Saviour, we would be, but cannot be, hid.

To the woman who applied in behalf of her daughter, our Lord made answer, as though He would not have complied with her request. "Let the children first be filled;" the children of Israel, the people with whom Jehovah had made a special covenant, and to whom, according to the promises made unto their fathers, Jesus Christ was especially a minister. See Rom. 15. 8. The woman was a Greek, that is, a Gentile, not one of the family of Abraham. And our Lord's reply to her may serve to shew us, that in a choice of duties, we should carefully consider to which we are most bound by our own proper place and calling. A wayward inclination may prompt us to labour in some other field. But let the children first be filled." Let us do good to those to whom we are sent, to our own families and friends, to them who